A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Adult Animated Movie #1 (Please click the link to read my review of Blade Runner, another film that was inspired by a novel from Philip K. Dick. Come to think of it, this would have been perfect for my salute to addiction movies) 

Synopsis: Hilarity ensues when L.A. junkies interact. Hmm...that sounds a bit like Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie without the belly laughs... 

Blurb From the DVD Jacket: “What does a scanner see? Into the head? Into the heart?”

What Did I Learn?: 1) It’s not that easy to make a functional silencer for a pistol. 2) The world is getting progressively worse. 3) Cats can be described as: “Drippy little things, moving along, about a foot above the ground.” 4) The most dangerous kind of person is the one who’s afraid of his own shadow. 

You Might Like This Movie If: You'll watch anything that involves the word "scanner."

 

Really?: So, wait... who exactly sabotaged Bob’s (Keanu Reeves) brakes? The most likely suspect is Barris (Robert Downey Jr.), but he’s *in* the car with the other goofballs on a trip to San Diego when the troubles begin. I realize they’re all druggies, and therefore a little lacking in the judgement department, but that’s really dumb. 

Rating: Much like Waking Life, A Scanner Darkly is a highly original, well-written, and incredibly thought-provoking combination of live action and creative animation. Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder are both quite good, but Downey Jr. steals the movie as the wormy-but-extremely funny Barris. Check it out if you get the chance. 10/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405296/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Damn the Defiant! (1962)

Please click the links to read my reviews of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Mutiny on the Bounty, and The Bounty. 

Synopsis: It’s a bit like Mutiny on the Bounty, except Fletcher Christian is a sadistic and selfish asshole, while Captain Bligh is the nicest bloke in the fleet. 

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “Alec Guinness must battle a mutinous crew and Napoleon’s fleet in the rousing, historical adventure, DAMN THE DEFIANT!” (Incredibly, the VHS jacket actually gives away the entire plot!) 

What Did I Learn?: If somebody asks if you’re related to an admiral who shares your last name, the best answer is “no” – because it’s probably a trick question. 

You Might Like This Movie If: you really want to see Alec Guinness defy a popular uprising.

 

Really?: Hmm... so, first mate Scott-Padget thinks nothing of using his connections to run roughshod over captains, and he enjoys humiliating and punishing the crews who serve under him. I’m surprised he survived so many years without mysteriously falling overboard, or finding a knife stuck in his back during shore leave. 

Rating: Alec Guinness shines as the weak-but-compassionate Captain Crawford in Damn the Defiant, a now-forgotten Horatio Hornblower-inspired sea adventure. DTD is an enjoyable movie, but the plot tends to meander and the audience is cheated out of a final confrontation between Crawford and Scott-Padget. I’d love to see this film remade. 7.5/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055884/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

"gambit" (1966)

Synopsis: Hilarity ensues when poorly-planned heist goes disastrously wrong. Oh wait, that’s Synopsis for Ocean’s Eleven... and Bottle Rocket.... and Quick Change.... and Disorganized Crime....and Palookaville... and.... 

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “Michael Caine rolls the dice but Shirley MacLaine could end up the big loser in this witty suspense yarn that finds the duo attempting to steal a priceless art treasure.” 

What Did I Learn?: You really can’t plan an intricate, multi-step heist based on information from a ten-year-old magazine article. 

You Might Like This Movie If: You know it's not easy to be a successful cat burglar.

 

Really?: Funny how Emile (John Abbott ) more-or-less disappears from the film, isn’t it? 2) MacLaine’s character is supposed to be half-Chinese? Um...she doesn’t quite look the part. 3) So, Shahbander knows that Harry and Nicole are imposters (and most likely thieves), and yet he keeps inviting them over for dinner and drinks? Would any sane billionaire seriously do that? 

Rating: “gambit” is a fun little caper comedy that never takes itself too seriously. Caine and MacLaine share some genuine chemistry, and it’s fun to watch them bicker when Harry’s not-so-cleverly-conceived plot keeps running into roadblocks and Nicole’s resourcefulness gets them out of trouble. 8/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060445/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3

Paths of Glory (1957)

War Movie #6

Synopsis: Dashing officer defends railroaded men against sadistic war-monger during military court-martial. Oh wait, that’s the Synopsis for A Few Good Men... and Breaker Morant, come to think of it. 

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “No motion picture has more effectively dramatized the absurdity of war than this Stanley Kubrick masterpiece, capturing the feel, smell and taste of battle – as did Kubrick in his recent Vietnam opus, Full Metal Jacket.” 

What Did I Learn?: Apparently, the French Army had a practice of drawing lots for capital punishment when an entire unit was deemed to have disgraced itself. Gee, I’ll bet that did wonders for morale... 

You Might Like This Movie If: You firmly believe it would make a super-duper board game.

 

Really?: 1) Hmm...so Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) was one of France’s most talented criminal defence lawyers before the war, and now he has to defend three of his men in a court-martial? That’s a wee bit convenient, isn’t it? 2) I had a bit of a hard time believing General Mireau could order his artillery to fire upon his own men without suspecting he might face some sort of blowback. 

Rating: Paths of Glory is a bit slow-moving and depressing, but it’s a memorable anti-war film that features an outstanding performance from Douglas. Highly recommended. 9/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050825/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Battleground (1949)

War Movie #5 (My apologies for taking a month to resume blogging. I’ve been a little busy with freelance work and slightly preoccupied with computer issues.) 

Synopsis: Ever wanted to see a pre-Fantasy Island Ricardo Montalban freeze to death? If so, you’re going to love this movie. 

Blurb From the DVD Jacket: “December, 1944. A civilian victim of the Battle of Bastogne scrounges through garbage to find a scrap of food. ‘I don’t even see those things,’ a war-numbed GI says. ‘I want to remember them!’, his buddy snaps.” 

What Did I Learn?: “PFC” stands for “Praying for Civilian,” not “Private First Class.” 

You Might Like This Movie If: You're a big fan of Ricardo Montalban's fine acting...

 

Really?: 1) Pvt. Layton doesn’t have a place to sleep on his first night with the unit, and.... he doesn’t speak up, or ask for a cot before the lights are turned out? Come on.... 2) Funny how a number of the outdoor scenes feature very, very flat ground. Hey, this wasn’t partially filmed on a sound stage, was it? 

Rating: I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by Battleground. I expected a low-budget B-movie (the film does have a few problems, of course – it has a very slow start, and a minister’s sermon lapses into outright editorializing), and it actually isn’t bad – Battleground even won a couple of Oscars in 1949 for Best Cinematography and Best Story and Screenplay. 7.5/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041163/?ref_=rvi_tt